Fuquay-Varina Seeks $200M Water Transfer Plan Amid Opposition
Town seeks approval for controversial water transfer plan that would save $200 million but faces bipartisan opposition from state senators.
FUQUAY-VARINA, NORTH CAROLINA — The town of Fuquay-Varina is seeking state approval to withdraw 6.17 million gallons per day from the Cape Fear River Basin while releasing treated wastewater into the Neuse River Basin, a proposal that has drawn opposition from state lawmakers and environmental groups.
The town currently purchases wholesale water from Raleigh, Harnett County, and Johnston County but lacks its own permanent water source, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality. Town officials say the current contracted water supply cannot meet projected future demands driven by rapid population growth in the Triangle region.
Interbasin Transfer Request
Fuquay-Varina has submitted an application for an Interbasin Transfer Certificate from the state environmental agency. The proposal would allow the town to extract water from one river basin and discharge treated wastewater into another, a practice that requires special state permission under North Carolina law.
According to the environmental impact statement included with the request, the interbasin transfer would cost approximately $200 million less than returning the water to the Cape Fear River Basin. The town sits on two river basins but currently relies entirely on purchased water from neighboring jurisdictions.
Legislative and Environmental Opposition
A bipartisan group of state senators representing southeastern North Carolina submitted a letter to the state’s Environmental Management Commission on March 31 opposing the transfer request. The senators argued that the Cape Fear River Basin is essential to their communities.
“Nearly one million North Carolinians rely on this river for drinking water, jobs and quality of life,” the senators wrote in their opposition letter. Environmental groups have also raised concerns about the proposal’s potential impact on downstream water users and wildlife.
Legal Requirements and Water Basin Protection
North Carolina law prohibits water systems from removing water from one river basin and discharging it into a different basin without state approval. This regulation protects downstream users in the donor basin and prevents potential harm to aquatic ecosystems.
The interbasin transfer rules recognize that moving water between basins reduces the volume available to communities and wildlife downstream in the source basin. The Cape Fear River Basin serves nearly one million residents across southeastern North Carolina, making water availability a critical regional concern.
The Department of Environmental Quality is currently reviewing the application as part of the formal permitting process. Public hearings and comment periods are typically required before the Environmental Management Commission makes a final decision on interbasin transfer certificates.
